Friday, October 2, 2015

STRICTLY POSITIVE

You know how you know there's a typo in something you've written because you saw it and then something shiny went by before you fixed it and now you can't remember or find it? That. I know the SP column has been missing for a couple of weeks, I've been a bit under water here, but I've tried to add some extra items in this week to make up for it.

Exhibit A: Cynic that I am (yes, Gretchen, I admit it), I think this one may be a bit of a set-up. I mean, really, Let it Be just happens to be playing on the radio as guy leads lost goose to water? But I decided I just don't care, it's pretty cool whether the guy really did lead a lost goose to water or not. Nifty goose-in-flight video to boot.

Exhibit B: A lesson in help thy neighbor and good old fashioned cooperation. The Q’eswachaka bridge in Peru is rebuilt every year by the communities located on either side. They use traditional Inca engineering techniques (twisting cords into larger cords that are then braided into ropes, all made of materials harvested particularly for this use) to continually rebuild the bridge in the same location since the time of the Inca. Amazingly, they do it in three days.

Exhibit C: I had no idea there was such a thing as a "LEGO Certified Professional," (and if there is, Jon Jordan must be one, yes?), but there is, and Sean Kenney is one. For the last 10 years, he has been creating contemporary LEGO sculptures for clients, corporations, and venues around the world. He has also authored 8 children’s books about LEGO, and seems to have a passion for animals. Below are some of Sean's animal sculptures using only LEGO; you can see his portfolio of all kinds of sculptures at his website.

Exhibit D: This one is pretty fantastic. Corey Maison is a 14-year-old transgender girl from Detroit, Michigan who appears to have an incredible family. Her mother, Erica, realized early on that Corey might be gay. But when Corey was 11, she and her mother came across a video of transgender YouTuber Jazz Jennings and everything suddenly clicked. Corey said, "Mom, I’m just like her, I AM a girl.” Erica seems to have supported her daughter from the get-go, homeschooling her after years of teasing and bullying and finding a therapist (five hours away from their home) who specializes in transgender children to help Corey through her transition. On Corey's 14th birthday, her mom surprised her with her first dose of hormones — something she had been waiting over two years to receive. The emotional video of that gift-giving is below. The article itself is pretty neat, I hope you'll go read it. If only all transgender kids had such support from their families.

Exhibit E: And if only we could all be as happy as a dog hopping through a corn field:

Exhibit G: I had never heard of a Seed Library until Patti brought to my attention that her library, the Pima County Public Library, has one. A Seed Library is just that, a collection of open-pollinated and heirloom seeds patrons can borrow from to plant and grow at home. The seed collection depends on donations and seasonality, and different seeds are available at different times. Users are encouraged to share their own seeds as their gardens grow. You can see the PCPL Facebook page here, and visit the PCPL site FAQ here. The Facebook page header photo seems to indicate there are more libraries involved. Good stuff.

Exhibit H: This may be tied for the feel-good item of the day. Just watch.

Exhibit I: This one was sent to me by a few good people who know my love of the golden, but I think Elizabeth was the first, so she gets the SP point for today. Since we have poisonous algae issues here on the California coast, I thought I would need to get B a wading pool. Drought issues concerned me. Here is the answer:

Exhibit J: Here is an award-winning (if I'm handing them out - congratulations, Bev) bit on "dogs who have found goats and are totally keeping them." Need I say more?

Exhibit K: Ruth Jordan posted this to Facebook, and knowing it would warm the cockles of my cold, cold, heart, Erin tagged me to see it. Some wise man rescued a golden retriever who had not been treated well and the video below is her going to the pet store to pick out her very first toy. Powerful stuff. Goldens know what they want, so the searching doesn't surprise me. It also brings back great memories of giving B her first toy, a moment I'll never forget.

Exhibit L: Delia Blackburn is a photographer who captured a fabulous moment at a recent wedding. The father of the bride stopped the wedding procession to grab his daughter’s stepfather to join him in walking ‘their’ daughter down the aisle. Ooh, just got goosebumps typing that out.

That's it for today, kids. Bird and I have been displaced for a while, but hope to be back home soon and perhaps a bit more regular as far as the old positivity is concerned. In the meantime, have a grand and peaceful weekend. Extra love and good thoughts to Erin. TGIF.

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About Malcolm Avenue Review

I was lucky enough to be born and raised in a nifty, oak-shaded ranch house on Malcolm Avenue, a wide-laned residential street with little through traffic, located amid the foothills of Northern California. It was on that street and in that house I learned most of my adolescent life lessons, and many grown-up ones to boot. Malcolm Avenue was "home" for more than thirty years.

It was on Malcolm Avenue, through and with my family and the other families that made up our neighborhood of characters, that I first learned about and gained an appreciation for the things I continue to love the most to this day: music, animals, photography, sports, television/movies and, of course, books.

I owe a debt of gratitude to that life on Malcolm Avenue. It gave me a sense of community and friendship, support and adventure. For better and worse, life on that street likely had the biggest impact on the person I've become. So this blog, and the things I write here, are all, at their base level, a little bit of a love letter to Malcolm Avenue.